The Odd Fluctuating Moods of a Cancerian Girl

This is record breaking man. I was in school from 7.30am to 7.30pm. And I attended not a single lesson. So what in the friggin' world was I doing in school? Muahahaha... CO PRACTICE!!

Everyone in CO was excused from classes today cos we were going to SCH to rehearse for SYF. I was super elated and darn hyper at first, singing random Chinese songs and discussing Thermochemistry with Doris on the bus. Then we got to SCH with me still feeling happy. When we got on stage and was ready to play our pieces, I realised that one of my markings disappeared. And I went horribly off tune. Then I felt quite pek chek. So nvm, I took a bit of the rosin powder that rubbed off my bow and dabbed a temporary marking there. Problem solved, thanks to Lin laoshi. But somehow, I didn't play well today. Maybe it's just the strange feel of being on stage. Bar 74 for Feng Nian Ji was especially bad.

After the rehearsal, something else happened that made me feel totally down in the dumps. I just felt so zi bei and demoralised. I was just standing alone and staring into space when usually I'd be crapping around with my section. And I think some of them kinda noticed it and walked over to me and started talking about Ming Dao and Gu Ju Ji. Hahaha. Thanks guys. But I couldn't shake off that awful feeling. Then Doris was talking to me and asking if I were okay and all and I don't know why!! But I felt the beginning strains of wetness in my eyes. I was horrified man. But I managed to hold them at bay.

When we boarded the bus I sat with Doris and we started talking. And I just couldn't help myself. Never in my entire life have I cried during CO or cried over CO. But today I did. I felt like a total utter failure. I felt like I've just too many shortcomings, not just in my playing but also as an SL and as the concert master. I shan't delve into the details.

By the time the bus arrived back in school, my tears had dried up, leaving behind slightly swollen eyes and a red nose. Jun Wei was like asking me "Why is your nose red?!" I just chuckled softly. I felt better after lunch though. And as afternoon practice resumed, I was nearly back to my nomal state. By break time, I was my happy self and was playing Ju Hua Tai on my gaohu with Jin Jia and Felix by the side of the hall. When practice ended, I'd gone insane and was laughing like some lunatic who'd gone off his rocker. Well, hers, in my case. Then I saw this stack of chairs that was taller than me by a lot. There had to be about 8 chairs stacked together. And I had this sudden strong impulsive urge to shift that monstrous pile of chairs back to the storeroom. And so I did.

I heaved and pulled and dragged the tower of chairs. You couldn't see me at all, literally. All one can see is a tower of chairs seemingly moving on its very own. Ya la, I'm short okay? And some of the guys began running over to help me, but I fended them off and insisted on pulling the whole load by myself. Wen Yuan was like "Ni bu yao chong dong!!" Hahaha. But hey, I did it!! Haha. Some insanity. Sigh.

Nearly 12 hours of CO practice today. The skin on my hand has peeled off. I conclude that many string players have rough hands. All those calluses and what nots. I've missed an entire day's worth of lessons. Tell me about catching up with my fellow classmates man. I'm absolutely exhausted now. I'm so tired I don't even have appetite for dinner. Haha. Should help in losing weight then. (Don't kill me) XP

Sigh.

Sated with Music

Full orchestra practice was AWESOME today!! Zhen Cao Ji laoshi conducted us today. Like, oh my Gosh. And is he good! Today was like the best full orchestra practice I'd ever had. Fruitful and thoroughly enjoyable. Even though it was kind of scary cos he's such a... living legend? I don't know, he's just superbly good! And seated right in front of him, I was totally freaking out when he walked over and took over the conducting. My heart was beating erratically and I was so stressed and nervous. It was like "Oh no! What if I play wrongly? What if my rhythm goes off? What if I went accidentally sharp or flat? What if, what if, what if..."

But whew! He went into such minor and specific details that for the first time, I am hearing the set piece differently. The erhu part sounded SO nice! The crescendo and rapid decrescendo, before following a crescendo again totally portrayed like a whole wave of emotions. I felt swept away by that wave. Like, whoa.

After CO practice today, I went for Qin Li-Wei's concert with the Conservatory Orchestra at the Esplanade Concert Hall. I met up with Marcus for dinner before that though. He'd wanted to go as well, but the tickets were all sold out. So while I went for the concert, he was scouring for the music score of "Across the Stars" for me in the Esplanade Library. Heh.

The concert was mind-blowing. The first piece was Bloch's Concerto Grosso No. 1 for String Orchestra with Piano. There were 4 movements altogether and my favourite is no doubt the 2nd movement, Dirge (Andante moderato). Then it was Tchaikovsky's Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 33. And this is where Qin Li-Wei comes in for a cello solo.

It was absolutely wonderful. And he did a spiccato with 5 notes. And the spiccato was perfect. I was leaning forward in my seat. Hahaha. He played with such gusto and emotions that he lifted off his seat. It was amazing. He was amazing. The crowd wouldn't stop applauding. My hands were aching from applauding non-stop. One guy even stood up. There were shouts of "Bravo!" And it was indeed a fantastic performance.

Then it was a 20 minutes intermission and after that was Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet Suites No. 1 Op. 64a & No. 2 Op. 64b. There were 7 parts altogether and I like "The Montagues and the Capulets" and "Romeo & Juliet - The balcony scene, Romeo's variation, Love's duet". The ending piece was good too, "Romeo at Juliet's grave, Death of Juliet, End". Everything was wonderfully portrayed and brought across. The love, the sadness, the sorrow, the conflict between the two families, the fighting scenes. It was enthralling. And the audience was good. No one clapped in between movements, which is how it should be. You're not supposed to applaud in between movements.

Of course there was an encore and it was one of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance Marches. Number 4 actually, according to Marcus after I'd hummed it to him after the concert. And of course, it was enchanting. I am totally charmed.

So after the mind-blowing concert, I went to meet the nearly-dead-from-boredom Marcus, whom was reading some Galaxy Hitchhiker don't-know-what novel in the foyer area. Then we had supper in Gelare at City Link Mall. Hot fudge chocolate sundae!! How sinful, I'm so gonna get fat. Then we talked about music all the way home.

Awesome day! :)

(Long enough post for you, Marc?)

Buggity Buggity Bug

Due to a certain (*COUGH*marcus*COUGH*) person's incessant naggings and buggings and rantings for the past half an hour, I have been verbally prodded into blogging. *mutters inaudibly and shakes a fist (No, it's not all that tiny and ineffectual. All right, maybe it is kind of small, but not that ineffectual, really.)*

All right, so what shall I talk about today? Ah yes, Doris and I had our own version of a Movie Marathorn at my house where we watched Korea Dramas and the whole of Grey's Anatomy Season One. I should be lamenting over the loss of precious time that could be spent doing my homework or revising. Well, the keyword is "should be".

And I did try to read up that 11 pages long article about how Gene Therapy can help people with Haemophilia.

Inner voice: But you only read a frickin' paragraph!
*Cringe* Guilty as charged.

You know what? I don't really know what to write in this blog post. And I really want to cut my hair. That was so random, but whatever. And well, I'm pooped and I need my sleep.

(No, this is not a very short post, Marc. Haha.)

Intoxicated

Cruising on waves upon waves of pure, unadulterated emotions. I think I may just drown soon. I am blown away, blown so far away by the video of the orchestra performing Ennio Morricone's Gabriel's Oboe on Youtube. The oboe soloist was... my gosh. I find myself temporarily robbed of the ability of speech. His tone was SO good, so clear and so steady. Awesome vibrato too. The strings in the background made just the right back-up for the soloist.

I also happen to stumble across an interview of Sarah Chang and Julian Lloyd Webber while they were recording Phantasia, and there were snippets of scenes showing their recording in the studio and they were playing "All I Ask of You". It was simply enthralling, astounding and absolutely enchanting. It was so beautiful tears threatened to well up in my eyes.

April Fool's Day fell on a Sunday this year. In fact, I had forgotten all about it until I woke up that Sunday morning and got neatly tricked by Talz's message. And as far as Sundays go, it is our homework-chionging day. So I was slaving away on my Economics essay on a plush green couch in Starbucks with a cup of Chocolate Frappucino that very afternoon with Marcus, who was reading the novels he just loaned out from the library, when I got kind of bored. So I picked up my cellphone and decided to trick my groups of close friends. Afterall, what's April Fool's Day without playing a few tricks? Heh.

And my tricks were not without their desired results. I laughed so hard in Starbucks, my Economics essay lay sprawled atop my file, nearly forgotten as I chuckled in glee at the contents of the messages that were flooding back to my cellphone. Oh boy, I've never mass tricked so many people during April Fool's before.

And TMSCO got Gold!! Yayness to that! XD